Electrical fixtures such as lighting fixtures, fans and the like are typically installed by mounting the fixture directly to an electrical junction box. Electrical junction boxes are typically installed within a wall, ceiling, or other surface. A typical junction box includes a rigid open-fronted compartment with mounting tabs projecting across the open front. Normally, the junction box is installed in a recessed fashion within the surface to provide a flush mount of the fixture against the surface. The mounting tabs include threaded openings for accepting screws or bolts for mounting a fixture, cover plate or the like. Junction boxes typically comply with various industry standards, including standard dimensions and locations for bolting a fixture to the junction box. Household wires are housed within the junction box for connection to an electrical fixture.
Typically, installation of the junction box and electrical fixtures are carried out by a licensed electrician. In many cases, the step of mounting a fixture to the junction box is a time-consuming process requiring forming individual connections of multiple wires, followed by fastening the fixtures to the junction boxes. Installation of a large number of such fixtures can represent a significant expense in the construction process, in particular when the labour is largely carried out by licensed electricians. As well, installation can be cumbersome for a single individual, particularly when installing a relatively heavy electrical fixture such as a ceiling fan or chandelier.
The prior art discloses various mounts and mounting systems for electrical fixtures. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,356 to Zekowski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,392 to Perna, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,580 to Blackman et al., and Canadian patent application No. CA 2471804 to Cooper. However, there exists a need in the art for an improved system and method for mounting electrical fixtures to a wall, ceiling or other location, in particular in a manner in which at least a portion of the installation process can be carried out quickly and easily by a relatively unskilled worker.